Desert Coasties
HISTORY LOCKER
Quentin Walsh - A WW2 Coast Guard Hero
Most Coasties know the story of Douglas Munro, the Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient, but do you know about Quentin Walsh? He was a true hero who was awarded the Navy Cross.
On June 10, 2019, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer named a future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the DDG 132, in honor of USCG Capt. Quentin Walsh.
It is the first time a U.S. Navy ship has been
named after a member of the Coast Guard.
Click the PDF button to read about him.
USCG Captain
Quentin Walsh
World War II Members of the Desert Coasties
The Desert Coasties are proud to include two World War II vets as members.
Joe Ferrang
Thor Thorsen
Thor Thorsen was on duty when German spies landed nearby at Amagansett, Long Island, New York in 1942. He says that enlistments in the Coast Guard jumped (represented by the photo above) after the spy story became known. Click here to read about German spies on American soil.
Video: USCG in World War II
Desert Coastie, Carl Sosna, found this fascinating film on Youtube that tells the story of the Coast Guard during WWII. It runs a little over 25 minutes. Click the image to watch the video.
USS Sampson
Andy Fitzgerald
Mar 19, 1931 - Nov 15, 2018
Rest in Peace, Shipmate!
On This Date in History
On Desert Coasties' meeting days, and for other mwe take a look back in Coast Guard history for that date:
August 11
1966. CGC Point Welcome was attacked in the pre-dawn hours of
11 August 1966 by U.S. Air Force aircraft while on patrol in the
waters near the mouth of the Cua Viet River, about three-quarters
of a mile south of the Demilitarized Zone (the 17th Parallel) in
South Vietnam. Her commanding officer, LTJG David Brostrom,
along with one crewman, EN2 Jerry Phillips, were killed in this
"friendly fire" incident. Point Welcome's executive officer,
LTJG Ross Bell, two other crewmen, GM2 Mark D. McKenney and
FA Houston J. Davidson, a Vietnamese liaison officer, LTJG Do Viet Vien, and a freelance journalist, Mr. Timothy J. Page, were wounded. Click the image to watch the video.
Crewman BMC Richard Patterson saved his cutter and the surviving crew at great risk to himself. He was awarded a Bronze Star with the combat "V" device for his actions.
1982. Members of a 7th District Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET)
stood bridge watch aboard the USS Sampson. It was the first time
Coast Guard TACLET had served aboard a Navy vessel.
September 27
Douglas A Munro
1942. Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro sacrificed it all so that others may live.
SEMPER PARATUS….Rest in eternal peace brother.
Douglas Munro's Medal of Honor Citation reads:
“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action above and
beyond the call of duty as Officer-in-Charge of a group of Higgins boats,
engaged in the evacuation of a Battalion of Marines trapped by enemy
Japanese forces at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, on September 27, 1942. After
making preliminary plans for the evacuation of nearly 500 beleaguered
Marines, Munro, under constant risk of his life, daringly led five of his small
craft toward the shore. As he closed the beach, he signaled the others to land,
and then in order to draw the enemy's fire and protect the heavily loaded
boats, he valiantly placed his craft with its two small guns as a shield between the beachhead and the Japanese. When the perilous task of evacuation was nearly completed, Munro was killed by enemy fire, but his crew, two of whom were wounded, carried on until the last boat had loaded and cleared the beach.
By his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and dauntless devotion to duty, he and his courageous comrades undoubtedly saved the lives of many who otherwise would have perished. He gallantly gave up his life in defense of his country."
October 6
1990. NASA astronaut and Coast Guard CDR Bruce Melnick made his first space
flight when he served as a Mission Specialist aboard the space shuttle
Discovery on Space Shuttle Mission STS-41, which flew from 6 to 10 October
1990.Discovery deployed the Ulysses spacecraft for its five year mission
to explore the polar regions of the sun. CDR Melnick was the first Coast
Guardsman selected by NASA for astronaut training.
Commander Melnick retired from the U.S. Coast Guard and left NASA in
July 1992. He received numerous awards including two Department of
Defense Distinguished Service Medals, Two Distinguished Flying Crosses
and the Secretary of Transportation Heroism Award.In August 2000 he
was inducted into the United States Coast Guard Aviation Hall of Honor.
December 10
1987. The Bluebird Rescue and CG-1486.
Watch the video: https://aoptero.org/about/hh-3f-1486-refurbishment-campaign/
In the evening of December 10, 1987, Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Sitka, Alaska received a Mayday call with a request for assistance from the 26-foot fishing vessel Bluebird. Aboard Bluebird was Captain Jim Blades and his six-year son, Clint. At CGAS Sitka, the duty crew boarded CG-1486 and took off 17 minutes after receiving the call. The crew consisted of Mission commander, LCDR John Whiddon, Co-pilot Lt Greg Breithaupt, Flight mechanic AD1 Carl Saylor, Radioman/Navigator AT3 Mark Milne and rescue swimmer ASM2 Jeff Tunks. Each crewmember of CG-1486 would receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for their action that night. Excerpts from ASM2 Jeff Tunks’ DFC citation: “after several unsuccessful hoist attempts in the 70-knot winds, Petty Officer Tunks voluntarily deployed into the frigid, angry seas. Petty Officer Tunks was able to pull the survivors away from the sinking vessel and roll them into the relative safety of the basket for hoisting. Petty Officer Tunks’ remarkable fortitude and exceptional daring in spite of imminent personal danger saved the father and child from perishing at sea.”
November 21 - Andy Fitzgerald
2018. A memorial service was held for Andy Fitzgerald, the last surviving
crewman from "The Finest Hours" rescue off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Click the red PDF symbol to read about Andy and view photos of the service.
Many Coasties were in attendance including a rear admiral.
After you click the PDF, be sure to scroll down to view all the photos.
1956 Ocean Station November - Pan Am Flight Ditching
